Compare The Strengths And Limitations Of A Range Of Assessment Methods

Compare the strengths and limitations of a range of assessment methods with reference to the needs of individual learnersDirect observation in the primary source of gathering evidence within NVQs as it is the most appropriate way of presenting naturally occurring evidence. You’re watching the candidate carry out his routine work but on the other hand the candidate may perform for you or become very nervous with you watching. Performance evidence demands consistent and repeated performance to the required standard.Work products might be pre op checks, job descriptions, duty rosters, check lists, accident forms, policies and procedures, records of phone calls, records of correspondence communication book records.Work products about clients or staff should not be photocopied and put in the portfolio. Assessors should view them and fill in the relevant sheet showing what was read, where its kept and for which PCs, it is relevant and attach it to an Evidence Record sheet.The candid ates contribution to the Work Product needs to be made clear. Putting in an organisational policy or procedure does not show evidence of the candidate’s skill or knowledge unless there is evidence to show. They understand the policy or procedure or they have applied it to their own area of work or they have trained their staff in it or they have used the policy or procedure.Generally certificates only provide proof of attendance at a course and are not a test of knowledge or competence. Assessors may need to ask questions to test competence or knowledge. Some assessors now show proof of competence across defined situations and this provides good evidence. If candidates are keen to keep certificates in their portfolio don’t discourage them, these could be kept in the â€Å"Supporting Evidence† section at the back.Check and fill in the Witness Status List at the front of the candidate’s portfolio with regards to who can be used as a witnessA witness should ideally hold the NVQ assessor award and be in a supervisory capacity to the candidate. Colleagues can give Witness statements but in a small environment issues of pressure and collusion can arise.Assessors can use witnesses to confirm the content of a Candidate Report by writing a supporting statement at the end of the evidence record sheet. There are two types of witness – the expert witness and the non-expert witness.An expert witness is someone given the role of regularly and systematically observing and reporting on candidates when they are performing tasks which produce evidence towards an NVQ and who is occupationally competent, with the necessary expertise in the area for which they are providing testimony. This information should be noted by the assessor.Briefed by the QA to ensure that they understand the standards to which the evidence relates because the expert witness testimony is more rigorous and covers a wider range of the candidate’s performance, it usu ally has greater weight than the testimony of other witnesses. Non experts my also be used as witnesses, however, their evidence may be less reliable than that of the expert witness as they are unlikely to be familiar with the standards being assessed.Assessors must judge the validity of all witness testimonies. NVQ units cannot be achieved by relying on witness testimony alone.Achievement of an NVQ unit will always involve observation of the candidate by a qualified assessor taking account of the evidence provided by witness testimony.Simulation This is where the candidate cannot provide evidence to cover PCs and where  asking questions may be insufficient. Examples might be dealing with a health emergency or working with someone who challenges the service.Recognising Prior LearningSTRENGHTS:1. If a learner had a previous rpl , it can be used to support their other assessments. Accrediting their prior learning assessment makes a learner feel that any work done in the past in this area was not a waste of time 2.qcf is giving learners the opportunity to use rpl more and they define it as â€Å"a method of assessment that considers whether a learner can demonstrate that they can meet the requirements of a unit through knowledge, understandingand skills they already possess and do not need to develop through a course of learning†. Limitations:1.may be time consuming for the assessor as will need to validate the rpl not all of it may be relevant to the current criteria they are assessing. 2.each assessor needs to check the guidance for their relevant qualification, as the guidance varies for different qualifications.Written questioningStrenghts:1.Can take the form of essays, short answer questions or multiple choice questions. Short and multiple choice questioning are examples of objective testing as there is only one correct answer. This form of assessment is quick and easy to mark wich means feedback can be given quickly to learners.Limitations:1.Multip le choice questions can be guessed if the learner is unsure so they might not be the best way to get an accurate measure of whether the learner has understood something. If more depth on short answer questions is requied, essays can be used to assess understanding, literacy and high level comprehension although they take time for the learners to complete and for the assessor to mark.Oral questioningStrenghts: 1.Can form a secondary or backup assessment to check for comprehension. They can be used to support theory while the learner is practising their skills or at work and they can be adapted or changed quickly depending on the situation. 2.open oral questions should be used to draw out the information from the learner. Limitations:1.Assessors should be careful not to use closed questions unless testing agreement.   

Endosymbiotic Theory Essay

The endosymbiotic theory explains the evolution of the eukaryotic cell and eukaryotic organelles by phagocytocis of small prokaryotic cells. This theory states that some of the organelles in today’s eukaryotic cells were once prokaryotic bacteria. In this theory, the first eukaryotic cell was probably an amoeba-like nucleated (probably DNA in a nucleoid region not an actual nucleus) prokaryotic cell that got nutrients by phagocytosis (engulfing nutrients or other cells) Some of these unicellular amoeba-like organisms engulfed prokaryotic cells that somehow were not digested within the organism. In the process of being engulfed the smaller cells would have been wrapped in membrane from the larger cell, today we see double membranes in mitochondria and chloroplasts.  The symbiotic relationship was beneficial because the host cell would have provided essential nutrients to the engulfed prokaryotic cell in exchange the smaller prokaryotic cell used these nutrients to synthesize ATP molecules, this ATP was used as an energy source by the host cell. The smaller prokaryotic cell was given a safe environment as well as receiving nutrients from the larger host cell. The small prokaryotic cell developed a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with the host cell. This smaller prokaryotic cell would eventually become mitochondria or chloroplasts. Mitochondria would have been formed when bacteria capable of aerobic respiration were ingested by a much larger cell. Chloroplasts formed when photosynthetic bacteria were ingested. They eventually lost their cell wall and much of their DNA because they were not of benefit within the host cell. Mitochondria and chloroplasts cannot grow outside their host cell in normal conditions because they now depend on the cell for protection and nutrients. The reason we do not see this type of symbiotic relationship today is because conditions are much different now then they were on earth millions of years ago when this symbiotic event first took place. Scientists can support the endosymbiotic hypothesis because the characteristics of energy organelles are so similar to those of prokaryotes. Energy organelles have their own set of genetic information it is not found  enclosed in a nucleus but a circular ring in a nucleoid region just like prokaryotic DNA. Mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own ribosomes this would imply that at one time energy organelles were able be self sufficient. Both organelles have a double membrane, a remnant of ancient endosymbiotic event. Also when a cell divides by mitosis the energy organelles replicate the same way as do prokaryotic bacteria, by binary fission. Mitochondria and chloroplasts are about the same size as prokaryotic cells. The DNA of these energy organelles is different from the DNA found in the cells nucleus. There is some evidence of bacterial DNA in these energy organelles that suggests that long ago they were once prokaryotic cells. Biology, Neil A. Campbell & Jane B. ReeceBenjamin Cummings; 7th Edition, 2006Investigating Biology, Neil A Campbell & Jane B.ReeceBenjamin Cummings; 6th Edition 2007

Women in Politics

What are the obstacles facing women’s participation in politics and what measures have been introduced to remedy the situation? Choose examples from at least three countries. When our country was constructed in 1776, men had control over most of the significant affairs of this country. It was a drastic notion for women to be involved in anything other than affairs concerning the home and the children. However the feminist movement began the start of females getting involved in politics, as well as all other affairs that only men were including in before.Even though there are an undeniably higher percentage of women in politics today. Women still have to endure more obscurity than men when it comes down to complete acceptance in becoming a true female politician in an other wised male dominated profession. In smaller countries the reproductive element of women was viewed to be very specific and had a more collective importance. Women are always seen as the â€Å"weaker sex. â €  Women were generally viewed as being ambiguous and small-minded when it came to the topic of politics.It is this attitude that has generated apathy from men all over the world, reinforcing the lack of female positions in politics. There is an over whelming difference between view of women in politics from the Philippines, to the UK & down in the Middle East. The game of Politics is the politics of male patronage and personality still dominate the Philippines political landscape. It isn’t likely to disappear anytime soon, but a strategy is in place with steps to change toward a direction where women will have a stronger influence in Philippine mainly about power and control.Within the context of Philippine politics, women have not conventionally been given the ability to be keepers of that power in the Philippine politics. How far these steps are taken depends on the decisions of those in power. In addition, the people of the Philippines must support those women that hav e decided to run. While there has been a considerable improvement in women’s involvement in politics and government, many women are still delayed from implementing their right to participate. Although, there have been a few measures set in place to increase female participation, there has yet to be a true implementation.In 1995, former President Fidel Ramos signed into law Executive Order No. 273, also known as the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development 1995-2025 (PPGD). This law takes off where the Philippine Development Plan for Women (PDPW) left off after its four-year mandate expired in 1992. â€Å"It is the government’s 30-year framework for pursuing gender equality and development (Stiftung 4). † Lastly, Filipino women must make a conscious effort fight against the typical stereotype. They need to work together to form a stronger political and economic stance that would be noticed by others (especially their male counterparts).It’s all ab out working toward an equal level of social equality. A breakthrough in the recognition of the contribution of women can be found in Section 14, Article II of the Constitution, which provides that â€Å"The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men. † This provision is cognizant of the contribution of women in the overall life of the country, and thus is supposed to signify the State’s support in pursuing the general development of its female constituents (womeninpolitics. rg). This statement was made, but no one truly acted on it. Looking at the United Kingdom, each party is responsible for encouraging women into politics. The Government itself does not consider it would be correct to make such an action required in order to increase the number of women elected. The Government believes that each political party should decide for themselves whether they wish to increase the number of women candidates standing for election in/for their party. If they wish to do so, they must figure out how to achieve this increase.The Government has however legislated so that each party can legally use positive measures for this purpose. One of the most profound acts to facilitate progress towards increasing women’s representation in government was the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act of 2002. It was introduced to remove domestic legal barriers from the 1975 Act and equivalent to the Northern Ireland Order. This solidified stipulations for political parties wishing to adopt positive measures to reduce inequality between the numbers of men and women elected.This act of legislation covers elections to the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the European Parliament and local government elections (excluding directly elected mayors and community councils in Scotland). However, women in the Middl e East often suffer from very sensitive and complicated political, social and cultural conditions that restrict their ability to easily engage in the political arena. Many women are encouraged turn away from political participation to avoid controversy.Traditional religious interpretation sometimes restricts female participation in public life, or literally prevents them from mixing with men or assuming public posts. There is also the family element to think about, with women still customarily responsible for household duties. A life in politics would not be deemed as the best professional choice. In the Middle East women are often viewed as less experienced in public affairs. As a result, voters (both male and female) are less likely to vote for a woman on the ballot.Consequently, women either refrain from running for political office or drop out early from a lack of local support. There is one means of improving women's participation in politic through a quota system. This system allocates a percentage of seats for women. In countries where such measures have been adopted, such as Tunisia, Iraq and Jordan, we see more women in politics Despite obstacles, women are showing that they are equally capable of being politicians. That is why the percentage of women in the politics is continually rising.Works Cited Gumba, Romy Fay. â€Å"Philippines. † http://www. onlinewomenin politics. org/phil/fes-ph. pdf. 3 Nov 2001 Iraq Updates. â€Å"Where are the Women in Middle East Politics? † http://www. iraqupdates. com/p_articles. php /article/24281. 23 Nov 2007 Stiftung, Friedrich Ebert. â€Å"FES Young Women’s’ Leaders Network Conference. † Bangkok, Thailand. 4 Nov 2000 Women in Politics. â€Å"Women's Representation in Politics† http://www. womenandequalityunit. gov. uk/public_life/parliament. htm. 19 Nov 06

Public Relations Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Public Relations Strategy - Essay Example The organisation has also faced a number of issues in regards to the competition. The organisation is facing a number of issues in relation to this and the competitive advantage that the company has had in the past is now being challenged by other organisations. Also the company has been unable to keep up with the stake – holders’ missions and has not been able to provide the stakeholders the required returns. The main return that the stakeholders are looking for is ‘care for people’. This includes ensuring that the relationship with the patients is strengthened. The organisation also does not work with the aim of making profits hence, the organisation aims at maximising its economic profits. Public relations deal with managing information of the organisation between the organisation and the public. It normally aims at providing the information that will interest the audience of the organisation. Public relations can be used by the organisation as a mode to build a rapport with its stakeholders like the employee, shareholders, patients, etc. Building a public relations strategy has four main steps: a) defining the public relations problem, b) Planning and programming, c) taking action and communicating, and d) Evaluating the program. The assessment one of the NHS has thrown light upon the current situation within the organisation for NHS – a brief of which has been discussed in the introduction above. The first step as a public relations officer is to define the problem. This is the base of all strategies and helps build a plan for which the organisation requires changes to improve and resolve the issues. National Health Services is the biggest health service in United Kingdom. However in the past the organisation has faced a number of press reports which have been quite dampening for its image. The press has accused the organisation a number of times and the NHS chief Executive Nigel Crisp has also spoken about the attack made by the

Government Policies Influence On International Business Essay

Government Policies Influence On International Business - Essay Example The government views Free Trade Agreements as an effective way of opening up foreign markets to the exporters of the U.S. Policymakers and economists believe that Free Trade Agreements will not only reduce trade barriers to U.S.A’s exports but also serve to protect the country’s interests in the Free Trade Agreement partner country. The further reduction of barriers to trade and the subsequent creation of a transparent and stable investment and trading environment eases the cost burden of U.S companies to export products and services to trading partners. Free Trade comes with the following advantages to the U.S: †¢ Spreading the value of freedom.†¢ Reinforcing the very fundamental rule of law.†¢ Facilitating economic development in some of the developing countries in the world such as Colombia (Villareal, 2014).The promotion of innovation and competition in businesses in the U.S in the past decade is probably the greatest benefit of the Free Trade policy to the country. On the other hand, the dumping problem created by the same Free Trade Agreements is the worst of difficulties that local producers face. Advantage of Free Trade: Promotion of competition and innovation Currently, very few people in America earn a living from subsistence agriculture and local trade as that would be too costly in terms of financial costs and the time spent. Americans today can access most of the items that they need such as food and clothes on the open market with ease.

Attempts to Save a People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attempts to Save a People - Essay Example One of the problems with the advanced way in which human beings think is that great ideologies and mythologies about life can be envisioned. This means that there are great waves of innovation that sweep through political systems, scientific communities, and communities of those who wish to find something to believe in so that they can better understand their world. The problem comes when the thoughts of one people comes into contradiction with those of another. An assumption is made that the differences between two peoples means that one is right and one is wrong.  One of the problems with the advanced way in which human beings think is that great ideologies and mythologies about life can be envisioned. This means that there are great waves of innovation that sweep through political systems, scientific communities, and communities of those who wish to find something to believe in so that they can better understand their world. The problem comes when the thoughts of one people come s into contradiction with those of another. An assumption is made that the differences between two peoples means that one is right and one is wrong.   In particular, the rise of Western culture has created a definition of what is ‘civilized’, thus creating a great number of cultures outside of this definition for whom groups of people in the West have endeavored to find a way to ‘save’ them from the ‘backward’ nature of their culture. In addition, Christianity has been considered by many members of the religion to be the only way of life, thus furthering the interference that the West has made into indigenous populations.   Therefore, the attempts that the European settlers have made to interfere with the Native American populations created great changes that devastated those tribes. The nature of their culture was forever changed, through the introduction of disease, war, and vilification that took place during the great migrations of Euro peans into the Americas. Reforms that were attempted were too late and without effect as the tribes are now relegated to near extinction, their cultures almost completely lost, and their existence a mere fragment of their former rich heritage. The nature of the Native American in regard to his or her culture is to be lost within a world in which their culture and the rituals that defined that culture are now scattered. The Native American is an American, his or her existence defined by trying to fit the round peg of his ancestry into the square hole of the American landscape.   One of the concepts of anthropology is that one cannot study a culture without affecting it through the influence of one’s presence. The Native American tribes had more than the affect of someone looking at their culture.  

Taxation Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Taxation Master - Case Study Example On the other hand, in computing tax liability of corporations, we use the Financial Year. Financial Year runs from 1 April in one year and ends on 31 March of the following year. For taxation purposes, taxable profits by a corporation for Financial Year 2008 are those obtained from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009. Income tax is a tax on income. Not all income is taxable and you're only taxed on 'taxable income' above a certain level. Even then, there are other reliefs and allowances that can reduce your Income Tax Bill - and in some cases mean you have no tax to pay ("Income Tax - the Basics"). Non - taxable income are certain sorts of income that you never pay on tax. These include certain benefits, income tax exempt accounts, Working Tax Credit (WTC) and premium bond wins. These income sources are ignored altogether when working out and how much Income Tax you may need to pay. ("Income Tax - the basics") Married Couple's Allowance (includes civil partnership)- if you are married or in a civil partnership, you or your partner may get Married Couple's Allowance (MCA) if you are living together and you and your spouse or civil partner were born before 6 April 1935. The amount you will receive depends on the age of the oldest spouse/civil partner and the level of claimant's income. Your tax bill will be reduced by ten per cent (10%) of the amount of the MCA you can claim. ("Introduction to tax allowances and reliefs") Other allowances, reliefs and expenses You can get tax relief for different expenses, depending whether you are an employee or director or self-employed. If you are an employee or a director, you can get tax relief for business expenses you have paid for and if: they were for the cost of travelling you had to do in doing your job, and other expenses you

The corrosive nature of social networking websites Essay

The corrosive nature of social networking websites - Essay Example Social networking sites cause loneliness (Boyd d and Ellison: pp. 221). When joining these sites, for instance, Facebook, no one has the intention to get lonely while online. However, most research findings can prove that the more someone uses the internet services, the more the chances of getting lonely and depressed. This is because the sense of being happy rapidly drops after the first day of using the website. The loneliness issue arises because Facebook serves different purposes with everyone using what is meaningful to their social life. Therefore, through the consumption of so much content on such social networking websites, people lose their social bonding thus lowering their self-esteem and feeling which in turn increases loneliness. Social networking websites are creating a false sense of interaction. The society fosters real and meaningful kinds of relationships. They are supposed to be healthy to everyone because they act as role-shaping structures, increases the sense of belonging and the will to conquer problems. However, most of these social networks though created out of a simple idea of promoting social relationships, have been creating a wrong sense of connection (Kennedy, et al.: pp. 110). They are among the fastest growing companies with Facebook being on the lead. They have chat rooms that enable users to communicate with each other. These chat rooms make users glued to their computer screens, as they want to find out more from their online friends.

Homeostasis in humans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homeostasis in humans - Essay Example Core to this is the human body’s management of a variety of highly complex relations, critical in maintaining either a return to, or a balance of, normal functionality of the body (Guyton & Hall, 2006:310). This is achieved through three core types of processes i.e. thermoregulation, osmo-regulation and chemical regulation. Such interactions vitally facilitate changes, which are compensatory in nature and hence supportive of both psychological and physical human functionality. In the case of an imbalance, a function is usually altered, causing a reversal of the functionality back to its normal settings (Guyton & Hall, 2006:317). This is exemplified by the function of human skin, with an increase in temperature necessitating thermo-receptor feedback to the brain’s hypothalamus. This results in increased sweating, as a way of balancing the temperature. In the case of blood pH imbalance, chemoreceptors send messages to the brain’s respiratory center, thus enhancing the affected individual’s respiratory rate (Guyton & Hall, 2006:324). Other processes crucial in the maintenance of homeostasis include the body’s balance of electrolyte and blood pressure levels. Core to this body functionality, is the input of various body organs i.e. the human brain, the kidneys and the liver. The latter two’s role in maintaining homeostasis is undisputed, with the brain’s endocrine system, hypothalamus sector, and its autonomic nervous system being core to this functionality. The human pair of kidneys is on their part essential for a number of roles i.e. the re-absorption of substances into the blood circulation; the excretion of human waste matter and urea; the regulation of blood water levels and blood pH, in addition to maintaining iron and salt levels in circulation (Maton et al., 1993:35). As Marieb and Hoehn (2007) allude, the liver provides core maintenance of

Emperor Constantine Essay Example for Free

Emperor Constantine Essay The relationship between the man and religion is centuries old and so is relationship between the man and the God. God in many forms have profoundly been capturing the hearts and souls of humans. In whatever phase of life this world has taken the man into, religion has always predominated the man’s life and so along with it several questions? Since, the Western world’s explorations started way back in14th Century, Christianity also spread, dug its roots in many parts of the world and spread its own interpretations about the Jesus, and his teachings. see more:to be human is to err It is evidently true that now people have ardent belief that Jesus was both human as well as divine and the life of Jesus on this Earth was both of ordinary man as well as supreme but this belief was not always there. It was the period between first and third century; people never tried to ponder on this theological aspect of their so ardent belief. Even Church did not have time to delve and search about this aspect as they were occupied in missionary activities and striving to protect themselves from persecutions. But the time suddenly changed when Emperor Constantine put an ultimate end to persecutions and also gave his moral and financial support to the Church. His support bore fruit and Christians organized themselves. In the year 325 AD at the Council of Nicaea, there was a debate among the Scholars and religious preachers. The debate was on the topic, Was Jesus a human or divine? Arius, both a priest and a preacher from Alexander said that Jesus was a human but was the first to be created by God but his opponents gave a strong argument by saying that if Jesus had been only a common human being like you and me then his death and finally resurrection would never have been so powerful to redeem our sins. If it was Jesus who had to provide salvation to humans then he ought to be divine. The opponents won and their views and ideologues appeared in Nicaean creed, where it is written, Jesus is true God of true God, begotten, not made. (Flesher, 2003) Another debate took place at Ephesus in 431 A. D. and the topic was if Jesus was human as well as divine then how can these both natures be culminated in one? Many Christians from Abtioch in Syria said that Jesus had traits of both divine and human nature but he used it differently. For e. g. If Jesus is God, he performs miracles but when Jesus plays the role of human then he suffers like a human and died. The Christians from Alexandria argued that though these two natures were blended together but these characteristics were not of equal measure. His divine power was more powerful as with his divinity, he had led human kind towards salvation and redemption of sins. His physical and normal human beings traits are not of much importance. These debates did not come into any conclusion. Again the Fourth Council was held at Chalcedon 20 years later, when Bishops thought to resolve the problem by taking middle position and got into belief that Jesus was both human as well as divine and with both these natures blended, gave human beings the path of righteousness. As a human being, he got himself prone to temptation, sins but his divine power overcame his human instinct, and this divinity in him takes the humans on the path of salvation. This formulation became the basis for the Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy, but this belief was not adopted by every one especially Churches of Egypt, Syria, Ethiopia and Armenia. (Flesher, 2003). â€Å"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us† (ESV. Bible John 1:14). When Jesus was born, he was human being which his closest disciple also said, â€Å"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness † (1 John 1:1). John established him as a human being when he conveyed that Jesus disciples saw, touched and heard Him. (The Good News Magazine, Online Edition) He also felt hunger, thirst when he went on fast and fatigue too. Geza Vermes in his The Changing Faces of Jesus delve into the different facets of Jesus, taking into consideration the letters of Paul and the Gospel of John. The author said that as soon as the first century came to an end, Christianity forgot about the real Jesus and his messages. â€Å"Jesus, the religious man with an irresistible charismatic charm, was metamorphosed into Jesus the Christ, the transcendent object of the Christian religion. † (Vermes, 2000) In the most polemic tone, Geza Vermes (2000) said that: â€Å"As a historian I consider Jesus, the primitive church and the New Testament as part and parcel of first-century Judaism and seek to read them as such rather than through the eyes of a theologian who may often be conditioned, and subconsciously influenced, by two millennia of Christian belief and church directives. † Vermes consulted Gospel of John, which had endorsed the divine status to Jesus and then moved on to the Pauline letters, the book of acts and the Synoptic Gospels and said that if one goes by Synoptic Gospels, historical and Jewish religious tenor, Jesus is shown as a prophet – a holy man, a charismatic healer and exorcist. He also said that Jesus was a teacher to preach the words of God to the people on this Earth, as the other holy men of Jewish did. He went further to say that Jesus was a Hasid, a holy man from Galilean equivalent to other holy men as Hanina ben Dosa. Jesus always said that he was the son of man and just like other Galileans. Jesus did not indulge in halakhic matters. He even said that Jesus never wanted to form a new religion, as advocated by the Early Christian churches. Even Paul also never considered Jesus as a divine being or as a historical person. For Paul, Jesus is a redeemer of sins. He too said that Jesus was unmarried and no one else except Jesus has left a legacy of his magical words to take the human beings out of their sins towards the path of God and true living.

Early Years Childcare Essay

Early Years Childcare Essay Introduction Early learning is, quite simply, vital for all children as it lays the foundation for everything that is to come (John Hopkins University, n.d.). Research studies indicate that the development of active neural pathways (Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000) in the brain primarily take place before the age of three and that it is during the early childhood period that the brain is most receptive to learning (John Hopkins University, n.d. ; endorsed by State of Victoria, 2010). Therefore, it is critical that children in their early years are given opportunities for social, physical, emotional and intellectual development through high quality early years provision which in turn provides the potential for not only educational but economic and social benefits (Barnett, 2008). The way in which this provision is facilitated is a mark of how well any nation takes care of its children inclusive of their health and safety, their education and socialisation, their material security, â€Å"†¦ their sense of being loved, valued, and included in families and societies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (UNICEF, 2007, p. 4 cited in Aldgate in McCauley and Rose, 2010, p. 23). Adults who wish to work with children in this age group have to wear many ‘different hats’ in order to facilitate children’s needs which necessitates their having an understanding of their role and responsibilities with regard to interacting with children (Rose and Rogers, 2012). The aim of this essay is to highlight the most important elements which need to be considered in the education, preparation and training of those who wish to work within the field of Early Years Childcare. The Early Years Sector – Work and Training As early as 2009-10, the House of Commons recognised the need for greater rigour in the training of teachers for Early Years age group, stating that standards should be modified in order that this sector was no longer associated with the least skilled part of the children’s workforce (House of Commons, 2009 -10). These comments concur with the findings of research studies such as that of Sylva et al (2004) which indicated that the quality of the provision provided for children is commensurate with the quality of the adults working in them (Miller, 2010 in Cable et al, 2010, p. 55). As from September 2014, Early Years educator qualifications have been introduced in the United Kingdom in order to meet the Early Years educator criteria as set by the National College for Teaching and Leadership. This qualification operates at Level 3 (A-level) and enables practitioners to be â€Å"†¦ included in the ratios specified in the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework† (National College for Leadership Teaching, 2013, p. 2). This qualification aims to provide learners with opportunities to develop their understanding of how to support and promote children’s early education and development, to develop skills of planning for effective care which prepares children for school, to utilise assessment effectively, to work with children in a safe environment which safeguards their welfare, to develop effective working practices and to work in partnership alongside the key person, other colleagues and parents for the benefit of young children (National College for Leadership Teaching, 2013). A similar qualification is the CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator- QCF) which has been developed for use from September 2014 to provide a high quality qualification that â€Å"†¦ reflects the priorities of practitioners and employers to meet the needs of young children† (CACHE, 2011, para 4). Minimum entry requirements include the stipulation that all entrants to these type of training courses must have GCSEs in English and Mathematics at grade C or above which should have the effect of raising the â€Å"†¦ overall quality and literacy and numeracy skills of those entering the workforce† (Foundation Years, 2014, para 1). Clearly, once qualified, these individuals will work closely with those who have Early Years Teaching qualifications. Those who wish to embark upon gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) must have a minimum standard of a grade C GCSE in English, Maths and a science subject as well as a degree. Candidates for teacher training must also have experience of the school system, over and above having been a pupil themselves; most courses stipulate that individuals must have at least 10 days experience prior to embarking upon their training (Department for Education, n.d.). Prospective teachers must also pass numeracy and literacy skills tests as part of the application process (Department for Education, n.d.a) prior to embarking upon Early Years Initial Teacher Training. There are four ways in which Early Years teacher status can be accredited graduate entry (a one year full-time course), graduate employment-based (a one year part-time course for graduates in Early Years settings who need further experience and/or training to demonstrate Teacher Standards), undergraduate entry (full-time Level 6 qualification in an early childhood related subject in conjunction with Early Years Teacher status over a 3 or 4 year period) and assessment only (graduates with significant experience of working within the age range [0 – 5] over a period of three months) (Gov. UK, n.d.). In addition to this, a clear set of Teachers’ Standards have been developed by the government in order to ensure that practitioners are â€Å"†¦ accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in their professional practice and conduct† (National College for Teaching Leadership, 2013a, p. 2). The rationale behind these newly implemented criteria and renewed emphasis upon appropriate qualifications is the need to establish an education system which allows children to move from one phase to another seamlessly, as a result of the fact that practitioners recognise that learning is a continuum from the Early Years through to Key Stage 4 and beyond (National College for Teaching Leadership, 2013a). It is based upon the evidence that 94% of children who attain good levels of development by the age of five progress to achieving their expected reading levels at Key Stage 1 and are statistically five times more likely to achieve higher levels (Department for Education, n.d.c). It is clear that these levels of attainment are attributable to the increasing impact that graduate practitioners are having on the quality and the delivery of Early Years provision across the United Kingdom (Mathers et al, 2011). Furthermore, Sylva et al (2004) contend that there is a direct correlation between practitioners’ qualifications, the quality of the learning environment and the attainment levels of children in a pre-school learning setting. Learning and Play In order for practitioners to create quality learning environments, it is essential that they have an understanding of how children learn. Learning is quite difficult to define as it can include the process of thinking and becoming aware, using imagination and creativity, observing, hearing, remembering and problem solving (Malone, 1991 cited in Ostroff, 2012, p. 2). Ostroff (2012) contends that learning is something which is embedded deep in our psyche which is rooted in the need to assimilate new information through actively exploring the environment. She believes that the process of learning is physical in nature, taking place within the sensory systems which feed information back to the brain in order to dictate an individual’s actions. Pollard et al (2008, p. 170) regard it as the mechanism through which â€Å"†¦ knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes are acquired, understood, applied and extended† whilst Pachler and Daly (2011, p. 17) view it as â€Å"†¦ twin processes of ‘coming to know’ and ‘being able to operate’ successfully in and across new and ever changing contexts and learning spaces, as a process of meaning making†¦Ã¢â‚¬  that occurs as a result of communication and interaction with others. Learning, for children, is the development of their thinking processes and knowledge base as a result of adding new concepts and ideas to what they already know (Wood in Anning, Cullen and Fleer, 2004). The means through which young children achieve this is play. This is an umbrella term (Bruce, 1991) which describes a process of interaction between different individuals which facilitates the development of thinking skills (Dunn, 1993; Meadows, 1993). This is regarded as a social cultural process that is impacted upon by the context and the environment in which any interaction takes place (Robson, 2006). It is an integral part of children’s development physically, intellectually and emotionally (Elkind, 2008). Play allows children to gather a wealth of first-hand experience as a result of the exploration of the environment in which they find themselves and it is the means through which they solve problems and in so doing develop an appreciation of the world around them (Bruce, 1993; Hurst, 1997; Phillips and Soltis, 1998; Edgington, 2004). Play provides opportunities for children to make discoveries not only about the world around them but about themselves. Hughes (2006) indicates that there are many different types of play which contribute to children’s development including the use of language, expressive movement, the examination and use of space as well as physical ‘rough and tumble’ play. It is the vehicle through which children learn to be creative and to utilise their imagination through interacting and communicating with others in their group in a variety of different roles (Edgington, 2004). It is through this vehicle that they learn about cultural conventions (Wood and Attfield, 2005) as well as the means through which they are able to develop physically as a result of exercising through running around (Manning-Morton and Thorp, 2003). Play also appears to have a positive effect upon children’s emotions (Russ, 2004) and it is the mechanism through which they are able to learn about how to control their own emotions and gain an appreciation of the views and feelings of others (Sayeed and Guerin, 2000). However, learning through play cannot take place unless there is an appreciation and a deep understanding of its purpose and function in children’s lives. It is therefore important that the thinking which underlies child centred learning is also taught to, and understood by prospective practitioners. The notion that children could create their own bank of knowledge was first mooted by Piaget who believed that individual children were young investigators of their world who experimented with their environment in order to gather an appreciation and understanding of it (Moore, 2000). He stated that there were distinct stages in children’s development (sensorimotor, 0 2 years of age; preoperational, 2 – 6 years of age; concrete operational, 7 11 years of age; formal operational, 11+) (Jardine, 2006) through which children developed their beliefs and how to express them; it also allowed them to hone their logical thinking as a result of modifying their beliefs and subsequent actions as a result of assimilating new information (Barnes, 1976). Piaget believed that each experience that children undergo is vital to their development which is an opinion shared by Vygotsky. However, it is his contention that learning is a social activity and it is the means through which children develop as a result of learning to communicate with each other using both language and gesture. He believed that children learnt as a result of observing the actions and reactions of others and that through cooperating with individuals within their environment who are more experienced, they are able to achieve a greater degree of learning. The evident gap between that which children are able to achieve alone and with the aid of someone else he called the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). It is the function of the practitioner to create an environment in which children learn as a result of individual work and through interacting with those around them in order to develop skills for their future (Brown, 2006). Good Practice The creation of a vibrant, child-centred learning environment is critical in encouraging play and communication, a point which is recognised in the government’s existing literacy and numeracy strategies (Wood, 2004 in Anning, Cullen and Fleer, 2004). The play based curriculum as highlighted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) documentation (2012, p. 6) as being â€Å"†¦ essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others.† Children should be provided with opportunities to learn through play which they initiate themselves and by engaging with activities lead or guided by adults. It is critical, in creating any learning environment, that children’s interests and needs are catered for, inclusive of the different ways individuals learn. The EYFS states that the characteristics of effective teaching and learning are playing and exploring (providing children with opportunities to investigate and to experience different things), active learning (children are motivated to concentrate and be persistent if they enjoy their experiences) and creating and thinking critically (individuals are provided with opportunities to develop their own ideas, make connections between different concepts and to utilise different strategies to do things) (Department for Education, 2012). It is the function of the Early Years practitioner to lead the child in their learning, supporting and helping them as and where appropriate (MacShane, 2007 cited in Allen and Whalley, 2010, p. 4) which is achieved through the planning and resourcing of appropriately challenging learning activities embedded in play (Wheeler and Connor, 2009). It must be understood that it is planning which ensures a continuity of learning (Wood, 2004 in Anning, Cullen and Fleer, 2004) and that the learning environment which is dependent upon play will lead to individuals having a more rounded educational experience leading to a greater depth of knowledge, understanding and skills (Moyles and Adams, 2001). In order to facilitate the rounded development of individuals, as highlighted by the EYFS, parents must be involved in the educative process so that children have support for their learning in both the home and school environments. The needs of each individual must be discussed with parents in order to create a working partnership (Department for Education, 2012) which can foster united approaches towards teaching and learning to ensure that children are able to maximise their potential. Families can become involved in a number of activities to encourage their child’s learning; for example, reading with children, teaching nursery rhymes, teaching songs, practising letters and numbers, drawing and painting, visiting the library, taking children on day trips and engaging in play with their friends at home (Sylva et al, 2003). If parents are encouraged to take an active role in their child’s education they can have the effect of enhancing their child’s rate of development and progress (Wheeler and Connor, 2009), can ensure that children are fully aware of their cultural background and can foster a positive attitudes towards diversity. Inclusion and Cultural Awareness All prospective educators need to be aware of the idea of inclusion and inclusive practice. This involves modelling positive behaviour towards everyone no matter their background, their abilities or their race in order that everyone is seen as being of equal value. It is critical that every child is provided with equal opportunities to learn about and experience their culture and that they face no barriers to their learning. Furthermore, it is crucial that diversity in all its forms is a matter for celebration (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education [CSIE], 2014). In practice, this necessitates practitioners and schools providing a curriculum that allows complete access for all in order that they are able to experience success to the extent of their ability (Mittler, 2000). It is also equally important that children are taught the skills that enable them to remain safe and healthy, to achieve everything that they are able, to make a valuable contribution to society and to attain financial stability in the future (Every Child Matters Green Paper, 2003). Within the EYFS, practitioners are expected to treat every child as being unique, to develop positive relationships with every individual in their care, to create environments which enable them to learn as an individual and as a member of a group whilst acknowledging that every person develops and learns at a different rate but still needs to be provided with activities that cater for their needs (Department for Education, 2012). Conclusion Clearly, there are a number of important elements which contribute towards the education, preparation and training of those who wish to become Early Years educators. It is vital that they have an understanding of the importance of this phase of a child’s education and the responsibility that is commensurate with working to cater for their needs. Prospective Early Years practitioners must be appropriately qualified and have an appreciation of how children learn. They must develop the ability to plan activities which cater for the needs of every child in their care and an ability to utilise different approaches towards teaching and learning. It is important that they are able to communicate with not only the children in the classroom but also their parents and develop positive working relationships with them in order that they feel valued and involved in a partnership towards the education of their child. In the classroom, they must be able to provide support, care and encouragement as well as positive feedback to every child in order that they are able to feel positive about themselves and their learning. It is of the utmost importance that each prospective educator is willing to find out about and cater for the differing cultural needs of those with whom they are dealing and ensure that each individual child and their family feel valued members of the community. They also need to demonstrate the ability to reflect upon their performance, display decision making skills, the ability to be a role model, to lead and support others, instil values within their working environment and work competently to effect change (Whalley et al, 2008 cited in Allen and Whalley, 2010, p. 2). In short, they must demonstrate a willingness to cultivate an understanding of how children develop and learn, how practitioners are able to support and enhance that process as well as nurture and cultivate their beliefs about what education should be for children, and how that vision should be supported (Stewart and Pugh, 2007 cited in Allen and Whalley, 2010, p. 4). References Aldgate, J. (2010) ‘Child Well-Being, Child Development and Family Life.’ in McCauley, C., Rose, W. (Eds) Child Well-Being: Understanding Children’s Lives. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers pp. 21 – 38 Allen, S., Whalley, M. E. (2010) Supporting Pedagogy and Practice in Early Years Settings. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd Barnett, W. S. (2008) Preschool Education and its Lasting Effects: Research and Policy Implications. National Institute for Early Education Research Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Barnes, D. (1976) From Communication to Curriculum. Harmondsworth: Penguin Brown, F. (2006) Playwork: Theory and Practice Buckingham: Open University Press Bruce, T. (1993) ‘The Role of Play in Children’s Lives.’ Childhood Education Vol. 69 #4 Bruce, T. (1991) Time to Play in Early Childhood Education. London: Hodder Stoughton CACHE (2011) ‘CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (QCF).’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from http://www.cache.org.uk/Qualifications/EYE/Pages/CACHE-Level-3-Diploma-for-the-Early-Years-Workforce-(Early-Years-Educator)-(QCF)-.aspx Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (2013) ‘What is Inclusion?’ Retrieved on 20th October 2014 from http://www.csie.org.uk/inclusion/what.shtml Department for Education (2012) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage: Setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five . London: Department for Education Department for Education (n.d.) ‘Get Into Teaching – Basic requirements to become a qualified teacher.’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/apply-for-teacher-training/basic-requirements Department for Education (n.d.a) ‘Get Into Teaching – Professional skills tests for training teachers.’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/apply-for-teacher-training/skills-tests Department for Education (n.d.b) ‘Early Years Evidence Pack.’ Retrieved 20th October 14 from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/180884/DFE-00274-2011.pdf Dunn, J. (1993) Young Children’s Close Relationships: Beyond Attachment. London: Sage Edgington, M. (2004) The Foundation Stage Teacher in Action: Teaching in 3, 4 and 5 Year Olds. (3rd Ed) London: Paul Chapman Elkind, D. (2008) The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children. Cambridge, MA: De Capo Lifelong Every Child Matters Green Paper (2003) Norwich: The Stationary Office Foundation Years (2014) ‘Entry Requirements for Early Years Educators.’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from Entry Requirements for Early Years Educators Gov.UK (n.d.) ‘Early years initial teacher training: a guide for providers – overview.’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from https://www.gov.uk/early-years-initial-teacher-training-a-guide-for-providers House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Committee (2009-10) Training of Teachers Fourth Report of Session 2009-10. London: House of Commons Hurst, V. (1997) Planning for Early Learning. (2nd Ed) London: Paul Chapman Jardine, D. W. (2006) Piaget Education. New York: Peter Lang Publishing Inc John Hopkins University (n.d.) ‘Why is Early Learning important?’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from http://web.jhu.edu/CSOS/early_learning/ Manning-Morton, J., Thorp, M. (2003) Key Times for Play: The First Three Years. Maidenhead: Open University Press Mathers, S., Ranns, H., Karemaker, A., Moody, A., Sylva, K., Graham, J., Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2011) ‘Evaluation of the Graduate Leader Fund Final Report.’ Retrieved 20th October 2014 from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197418/DFE-RB144.pdf Meadows, S. (1993) The Child as Thinker. London: Routledge Miller, L. (2010) ‘Professional roles in the early years.’ in Cable, C., Miller, L., Goodliff, G. (Eds) Working with Children in the Early Years Abingdon: Routledge pp. 54 – 62 Mittler, P. (2000) Working Towards Inclusive Education: Social Contexts. London: David Fulton Moore, A. (2000) Teaching and Learning: Pedagogy, Curriculum and Culture. London: Routledge Moyles, J. R., Adams, S. (2001) StEPS: Statements of Entitlements to Play: A Framework for Playful Teaching with 3 – 7 Year-Olds. Buckingham: Open University Press National College for Leadership Teaching (2013) Early Years Educator (Level 3): Qualification Criteria. London: Government Publications National College for Leadership Teaching (2013a) Teachers’ Standards (Early Years). London: Government Publications Ostroff, W. L. (2012) Understanding How Young Children Learn: Bringing the Science of Child Development to the Classroom. Alexandria VA: ASCD Pachler, N., Daly, C. (2011) Key Issues in E-Learning: Research and Practice. London: Continuum International Publishing Group Phillips, D. C., Soltis, J. F. (1998) Perspectives on Learning. (3rd Ed) New York: Teachers College Press Pollard, A., Anderson, J., Maddock, M., Swaffield, S., Warin, J., Warwick, P. (2008) Reflective Teaching. (3rd Ed) London: Continuum Robson, S. (2006) Developing Thinking and Understanding in Young Children. London: Routledge Rose, J., Rogers, S. (2012) The Role of the Adult in Early Years Settings. Maidenhead: Open University Press Russ, S. (2004) Play in Child Development and Psychotherapy New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Sayeed, Z., Guerin, E. (2000) Early Years Play: A Happy Medium for Assessment and Intervention. London: David Fulton Shonkoff, J. P., Phillips, D. (Eds) (2000) From Neurons to Neighbourhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, DC: National Academy Press State of Victoria (2010) Making the most of childhood: the importance of the early years. State of Victoria: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Findings from Pre-school to End of Key Stage 1. Nottingham: DfES Publications Wheeler, H., Connor, J. (2009) Parents, Early Years and Learning: Parents as Partners in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice. London: National Children’s Bureau Wood, E. (2004) ‘Developing a Pedagogyv of Play.’ in Anning, A., Cullen, J., Fleer, M. Early Childhood Education: Society and Culture. London: Sage pp. 27 – 38 Wood, E., Attfield, J. (2005) Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum London: Paul Chapman

Analysis of the Retail Industry in India

Analysis of the Retail Industry in India Many changes have occurred in the marketing environment in recent years. Undoubtedly, the marketing environment will continue to evolve and change, often in very significant ways, in the coming years. Shifts in consumer behavior, competitive strategies, government regulations or other aspects of the marketing environment can profoundly affect the fortunes of a retail sector. Besides these external forces, the industries may engage in a variety of activities and changes in strategic focus or direction that may necessitate minor or major adjustments. The research aim is to highlight the current situation of the Indian Retail Industry as well as to provide facts and figures regarding the probable loopholes and the scope for augmentation. During the recent years of globalization, economies in Asia and the Pacific grew rapidly until the current global economic and financial crisis appeared in mid-2007. This acceleration of growth, in which international trade has played an important role, has helped Asian and Pacific countries to make impressive strides in economic development (ESCAP, 2009). At the same time, empirical evidence suggests that in some supply-constrained larger economies in Asia and the Pacific, such as China, India and Indonesia, wealth through trade has been accompanied by rise in inequality. The basic aim of the paper would be to analyze the retail industry in India and to understand the issues prevailing in this industry and the future prospective of the retail industry. The aim of the paper would be to answer the following research questions; Is Indian retail industry sustainable? How does the Indian retail industry compete with the industries all around the World? Is the retail industry more beneficial than other industries in India? Does the involvement of government in this industry is satisfactory? What improvements could be made in the Indian retail industry ? The Literature Review Like some other retail industries the Indian industry is divided in two sectors i.e. organised and unorganized one. The organised portion deals with the trading activities practiced while possessing licenses and having registrations for sales and income tax. This division includes corporate backed hypermarkets and retail chains and the privately owned large retail businesses. Secondly, the unorganized one who practices traditional style of low-cost retailing like grocery stores named as Kiriana Stores, general stores, Paan / Beedi shops, convince stores, hand carts and pavement, vendors, etc. Moreover, the traditional markets are preparing to adopt new designs like departmental stores, specialty stores and supermarkets. The Indian retail sector is greatly split with 97 % of its being executed by the unorganized retailers like the traditional family run stores and corner stores. The organized retail however is at a very embryonic stage although efforts are being made to boost its share. The sector is the largest source of employment after agriculture, and has deep penetration into rural India generating more than 10 % of Indias GDP. The fact of Chinas retail sector becoming saturated, international retailers considers India as the last retailing frontier left. Though, the Indian Government restrictions on the FDI are creating uncertainties among the international players like Walmart, Tesco and many other retail giants struggling to enter Indian markets. As of now the Government has allowed only 51 per cent FDI in the sector to one-brand shops like Nike, Reebok etc. Therefore, other international players are taking alternative ways to pierce the Indian retail market indirectly via strategic licensing agreement, franchisee agreement and cash and carry wholesale trading (since 100 per cent FDI is allowed in wholesale trading). The structure of Indian retail is emerging swiftly with shopping malls becoming increasingly common in the large cities and development plans being projected at 150 new shopping malls by 2008. However, the traditional formats like hawkers, grocers and tobacconist shops continue to co-exist with the modern formats of retailing. Modern retailing has helped the companies to increase the consumption of their products for example: Indian consumers would normally consume the rice sold at the nearby kiranas viz. Kolam for daily use. With the introduction of organized retail, it has been noticed that the sale of Basmati rice has gone up by four times than it was a few years back; as a superior quality rice (Basmati) is now available at almost the same price as the normal rice at a local kirana. Thus, the way a product is displayed and promoted influences its sales. If the consumption continues to grow this way it can be said that the local market would go through a metamorphoses of a change and the local stores would soon become the things of the past or restricted to last minute unplanned buying. Research Methodology Introduction This section spells out the procedures and the methods that the researcher can employ in achieving the objectives of the project so highlighted in the abstract of this paper. It defines location of the study, research procedures and analysis plan that would be put in consideration when carrying out this particular research. The research is supposed to start with the clear understanding of the research objectives as well as the hypothesis. Success of the project will depend on the provision of satisfying information in line with the objectives and hypothesis (Myers, 2002). The objective of the research just as a recap is to identify the effective mechanisms risk exposure and fÑ–nà Ã‚ °ncÑ–Ã Ã‚ °l policy considering the à Ã‚ °nà Ã‚ °lysÑ–s of à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets used in order to gain the competitive. It is important to note here that this research was mainly based on the questionnaire even though other research methodologies were briefly discussed. Sample questionnaire used is as shown in the appendices. Research methodology is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the data. It is a strategy or blueprint that plans the action for carrying through the research project data. A research design involves a series of rational decision-making choices depending upon the various options available to the researchers. Broadly it is composed of different elements like: the purpose of the study, the unit of analysis, time dimension, mode of observation, sampling design, observation tools, data processing, and data analysis. Mainly two techniques of research, Qualitative and quantitative are utilized. Though both of the methods have their own significance, the use of exploratory quantitative research design for this study appears to be appropriate. Research Design Research is an endless effort for truth. It certainly bring to light new knowledge or corrects previous errors and misconceptions and adds to the existing body of knowledge in an orderly manner. The research was aimed at highlighting the significance of branding for an organization and to evaluate the importance being given at pizza hut setup. This part deals with procedure adopted to conduct the study. The researcher had to depend on the related literature and structured questionnaires. Descriptive data were typically collected through a questionnaire survey, an interview or observation. Primary research. Primary research is the collection of data that does not exist. This can be through numerous forms: including questionnaires, telephone conversations, surveys, etc. As pertained to this project, the primary sources would likely be the risk exposure and fÑ–nà Ã‚ °ncÑ–Ã Ã‚ °l policy considering the à Ã‚ °nà Ã‚ °lysÑ–s of à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets. The major merit with conducting primary research is that it accurate. However, the disadvantage of primary research is that it may be time consuming, as it involves dealing with people from various regions, the human sources may only become resourceful out of their own willingness, and this may take them quit sometimes before making up their minds to tell you what they know or give you their side stories about your questions (Focardi Fabozzi, 1998). Secondary research on the other hand is the collection of existing data, that is, in contrast to primary research. For example: research on experiments or specific subjects. The merit of secondary research is that its not time consuming however a disadvantage is that the information retrieved may not be relevant. Data Collection In research studies, the source of data is two-fold. Data comes from the inner world of libraries as well as from the outer world of human being. It is either the shelved data or it is the data acquired live from the people involved in the study. This research being in the marketing, and the prime subject of the study is retail sector, the researcher aims to collect data mainly from the respondents. After considering the various methods of data collection such as ethnographic style, survey, experimental style, and narrative enquiry, a questionnaire survey was chosen as it allows the collection of highest opinions within the time span of the project as well as the fact that the results could be accurately mapped and correlated to provide quantitative information. Choice of research philosophy Another aspect that is of great significance in this research would be the research strategy. Its the research strategy shows which methods a researcher adapts to answer the research objectives or questions. There are types of research strategies that can be employed in conducting a research study. These include experiments, case studies, survey, theoretical perspectives, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. It is imperative to examine some of these strategies while paying particular attention to the case study method which will be applied in this particular research. Survey is another important research strategy that has was popular in conducting this research. Surveys allow the collection of a large amount of data from a large population .This implies that the researcher can conduct surveys and question specific groups of people to obtain large amount of information relevant to the subject of the survey. The data is usually collected from the people either via questionnaire or orally. The purpose of the survey was to establish and analyze views of respondents in order to find what they think about particular situation, case or statement. However, despite the fact that the views from a large number of respondents can be gathered through the survey strategy, the data obtained may not all reflect to the objective of the research at depth (Kendrick, 2009). Case study is a research strategy which involves investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon in the real life situation using multiple sources of evidence. More elaborate explanation on the nature of the case study as a research strategy was given by Frenkel, Hommel, Dufey Markus, (2005). in whose view case study represents a specific way of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data. Grounded theory represents a strategy which posits that the data is collected through observations and compared to various theoretical frameworks in order to discover which of the data is the most appropriate. This leads the researcher into making predictions about the studied phenomena prior to putting the findings into test. However, the aim of grounded theory is to make studied data records well-developed and understood and to verify relationships between the findings and the case study in question (Frenkel, Hommel, Dufey Markus, 2005). Questionnaires This research was mainly carried out by the use of a questionnaire. The questionnaire enabled the information to be gathered from many respondents who were directly involved in risk exposure and fÑ–nà Ã‚ °ncÑ–Ã Ã‚ °l policy considering the à Ã‚ °nà Ã‚ °lysÑ–s of à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets. Use of a questionnaire as a quantitative method for collecting data from the sources is the most appropriate method of collecting mass responses and as such, providing a good method of comparative analysis. The questionnaire will cover a number of data sources to find out opinions and views regarding the planning strategies required in risk exposure and fÑ–nà Ã‚ °ncÑ–Ã Ã‚ °l policy considering the à Ã‚ °nà Ã‚ °lysÑ–s of à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets. Designing good questionnaires requires significant skills and experience. The researcher embarks on the study by setting up survey questionna ires that address issues relevant to the interviews conducted. It is important to pilot or test the questionnaire as fully as possible before distributing them to the interviewees to fill them. A sample questionnaire is like the one shown in the appendices below. This questionnaire enabled elaborate information to be obtained from the players in the restaurant industry (Lam, 2003). Interviews In order to achieve the purpose of the investigation, the key focus lies on finding out which techniques should be applied. Interviews were the best method for understanding this research. A respondent interview is one where the interviewer directs the interview and the interviewer responds to the questions of the researcher. And to add more weight on this observation, Borodzicz, (2004). added that the standard survey interview is itself essentially faulted and that it therefore cannot serve as the ideal ideological model against which to assess other approaches. He Borodzicz, (2004).also elaborates by describing interviews as the verbal exchange of information between two or more people for the principal purpose of one person or group gathering information from the other. And that Semi structured interviews enable one to fix and control circumstances in order to collect appropriate data while remaining flexible and responsive (Borodzicz, 2004). In order to analyze the psychological and behavioral reasons for decisions of the sources, the collected primary data should be collected through the distribution of questionnaires. They however emphasized it is very important to note that questionnaires should reach the right people, to allow for an appropriate amount of information to be collected. Different types of interviews that the researchers may opt to apply to their studies. The three are inclusive of structured interviews, semi-structured interviews, and unstructured interviews. (Pritchard, 2005). Structured interviews consist of closed-ended questions, where the structure of the questions, responses and the interview itself is decided prior to the interview. The interviewer has more control over the responses, and can lead the interview into the direction they want. However, the responses received are limited. Semi-structured interviews consist of closed and/or open-ended questions, allowing the interviewer to have some control over the responses and the interview. Although the open-ended questions allow the interviewee to express themselves and encourage them to present their views and opinions. Unstructured interviews consist of open-ended questions that do not restrict the interviewees responses, therefore collecting a wide range of information. This kind of interview is more supple in-terms of the questions being asked and their ordering, all depending upon the interviewees responses. After considering these different types of interviews, Questionnaires are considered mor e useful for this study. This is necessary, as it allows gaining a deeper understanding of the participants views. In the usage of the interview the management of organizations in à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets were interviewed to get there view on how they operate (Silva, 1995). Data Analysis Process The process involves the researched applying reasoning in order to understand and interpret the data collected. In simple descriptive research, analysis may involve determining consistent patterns and summarizing the appropriate details revealed in the investigation (Zikmund, 2003, P. 73). Sectors of the market chosen to research and why you chose these sectors Use of research tools such as questionnaires, interviews, relevant journals, periodicals and data sampling and machines would be utilized in the process conducting the interview. Experts would be needed to conduct the research. In implementing the activities, both the quantitative and qualitative approaches was considered, where by qualitative data are those that would be based on the spoken words while the quantitative data would be generated from the overall data collected based of accuracy and efficiency The research project was scheduled to run for a period of one year and a few Months within which industries in à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets would be put under scrutiny and rigorous investigations to ascertain the objectives of the research. Research validity and reliability A debate about the findings of the preceding literatures on retail industry considering the à Ã‚ °nà Ã‚ °lysÑ–s of à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets inevitably includes a discussion of research, normally referring to the way in which the data were collected. This research being a phenomenological, all questions are related to theoretical characteristics discussed in literature preview. The process would therefore be accurate in collecting, analyzing and sampling data; hence the validity of result would be quite high. Considering that there are many different aspects of validity, which influence the validity of the research in general. Relationship between your research aim, research questions, research objectives and research methods. The methodology which was exploited here mainly through the questionnaires and the interviews were most appropriate as they enabled the most information to be obtained. Many respondents could be reached within a short period of time while sampling enabled a comparison to be carried out on the different organizations in à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets. They helped in the real understanding on retail industry considering the à Ã‚ °nà Ã‚ °lysÑ–s of à Ã‚ µmà Ã‚ µrgÑ–ng markets has actually been carrying out its activities which have actually helped it in realizing a competitive in the market (Borodzicz, 2004). Anticipated Outcomes The retail industry in India is currently growing at a great pace and is expected to go up to US$ 833 billion by the year 2013. It is further expected to reach US$ 1.3 trillion by the year 2018. As the country has got a high growth rates, the consumer spending has also gone up and is also expected to go up further in the future. In the last four years, the consumer spending in India climbed up to 75%. As a result, the India retail industry is expected to grow further in the future days. Despite the fact that the Indian retail market is expected to grow but some challenges are still required to be addressed. These challenges include the deficiency of sufficient infrastructure amenities, elevated prices of real estate, divergence in consumer groups, tax structure, limitations in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), shortage of trained manpower and low retail management skills. The research will focus to highlight all the challenges being faced to the Indian retail market and to suggest the strategies and methodologies to cater these challenges. The effective management of above said challenges will not only enable to achieve the projected growth in the retail sector but will also enable to enhance the factor of consistency in growth. Appropriateness of triangulation to research The essence of applying triangulation is for the sake of indications of applicability of several methods (excess of two) in the course of the study in consideration of checking double or even triples results checking otherwise known as cross examination. The idea behind the concept is for the researcher to express a high degree of confidence in consideration of the results of diverse methods that give similar results. In case a single method was applied by the researcher, there is a higher tendency of believing that the results are valid. The application of more that a single method may result to a clash of the results. The application of about three methods attempting to derive an answer may lead to a similarity of answers from two out of the three methods used. In case of an occurrence of a crash there is then a need of reframing the question (HSE, 2006). Limitations of the research Limitations are usually present in every research and these limitations actually tarnish the results of the research. Certain limitations are also associated with this research. One of the biggest limitations of this research is lack of budget and lack of time. Besides that there are certain other limitations like the non-serious attitude of the respondents might tamper the entire results of the research. The interviews that will be conducted and the questionnaire cannot be fully utilized in this scenario because the respondents are not serious in their attitude when they are filling out the questionnaires or when they are giving the responses to the researcher. The lack of time given by the respondents can also be another limitation of this research. If the respondents have lesser time than it is highly probable that they might not take the research properly and ultimately the final results of the research would be affected in this scenario. Finally, it can be said that certain chun ks or sources of secondary research can also be treated as a limitation of the research. This is because of the fact that these sources are not valid or they are not updated therefore the data that is attained from these sources might affect the entire results of the research. Therefore, the researcher should take utmost care about all these constraints and try to minimize it.

Somali Piracy Culture Essay example -- Somalia Pirates

Somalia is one of the poorest nations in the world whose economy depends largely on their fishing industry. However, powerful nations have ruined the country’s fishing industry by using huge offshore fishing vessels and by illegally dumping waste material into the Somali coastline. The UN Security Council, the European Union, and NATO largely supported these acts through resolutions. Being confronted by these powerful institutions, a powerless nation, such as Somalia, does not have an array of resources to battle this exploitation. To make their voice be heard, a Somali Pirate culture developed in the past twenty years. It consists of hijacking vessels and demanding a ransom. While their actions did not attract much attention in the beginning, publicity and awareness of this issue has steadily increased. The purpose of this paper is to show that the Somali pirate culture has reached a point, where they successfully influence the global economy, which has consequences in countr ies around the world. By controlling international trade routes, Somali pirates uphold this power. These efforts by the Somali pirates exhibit their disparity and signify that they will not allow the piracy of their own resources without retaliation. To draw attention to their dire situation, the Somali pirate culture developed over two decades ago, raiding fishing and commercial boats and ships in order to demand ransom from other countries. Though their methods may not be of the most legit methods, their efforts have been effective. Somalia’s coastline extends to just under two thousand miles, allowing control to most of where the Gulf of Aden empties out into the Indian Ocean, and creates a choke point. â€Å"Equipped with small skiffs, firearms, grapnels and ... ... very reason this culture has been initiated, they continue to fight the war against the Somali pirates. Works Cited Agence France Presse. (2009, April 15). Inquirer.net. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from Inquirer.net: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20090415-199432/Facts-and-figures-Somalia-piracy Reuters. (2009, April 15). Reuters. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from Reuters.com: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE53E2JR20090415?pageNumber=2 Thakurta, S. (2008, October 10). Somalia piracy: The world can't afford to ignore . Retrieved January 12, 2011, from Merinews: http://www.merinews.com/article/somalia-piracy-the-world-cant-afford-to-ignore/144093.shtml Wright, R. (2011, January 16). Financial Times. Retrieved January 17, 2011, from FT.com: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/658138a6-219b-11e0-9e3b-00144feab49a.html#axzz1BKVMULD0

The Purpose of the Federal Reserve System Essay -- The Fed and the Eco

Over the past few years we have realized the impact that the Federal Government has on our economy, yet we never knew enough about the subject to understand why. While taking this Economics course it has brought so many things to our attention, especially since we see inflation, gas prices, unemployment and interest rates on the rise. It has given us a better understanding of the effect of the Government on the economy, the stock market, the interest rates, etc. Since the Federal Government has such a control over our Economy, we decided to tackle the subject of the Federal Reserve System and try to get a better understanding of the history, the structure, and the monetary policy of the power that it holds. The Federal Reserve System is the central banking authority of the United States. It acts as a fiscal agent for the United States government and is custodian of the reserve accounts of commercial banks, makes loans to commercial banks, and is authorized to issue Federal Reserve notes that constitute the entire supply of paper currency of the country. Created by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, it is comprised of 12 Federal Reserve banks, the Federal Open Market Committee, and the Federal Advisory Council, and since 1976, a Consumer Advisory Council which includes several thousand member banks. The board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System determines the reserve requirements of the member banks within statutory limits, reviews and determines the discount rates established pursuant to the Federal Reserve Act to serve the public interest; it is governed by a board of nine directors, six of whom are elected by the member banks and three of whom are appointed by the Board of Govern ors of the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Reserve banks are located in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, Saint Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Dallas. The Federal Open Market Committee, consisting of the seven members of the Board of Governors and five members elected by the Federal Reserve banks, is responsible for the determination of Federal Reserve Bank policy in the purchase and sale of securities on the open market. The Federal Advisory Council, whose role is purely advisory, consists of 12 members if they meet membership qualifications. The Federal Reserve System exercises its regulatory powers in seve... ...erve. We feel that the latter is on the radical side of thinking, and that overall the Federal Reserve has the best interest of the nation and international economy in all their decisions regarding the increases in interest rates, etc. Since the onset of the Federal Reserve we have not gone into a major depression, and over a course of time there will be times when our economy will peak and boom and the Fed will feel that it is time to slow the economy by raising the rates. Bibliography FED 101 Hosted by The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. http://www.kc.frb.org/fed101 Friedman, Milton and Jacobson Schwartz, Anna. A Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960. Princeton, 1963 Hailstones, Thomas and Rothwell, John. Managerial Economics, 1993. Prentice Hall, 1993 Metzler, Allan H. A History of the Federal Reserve, Vol I and II. University Press Books, 2002 National Information Center for the Federal Reserve System. http://www.ffiec.gov/nic Rabboh, Bob and Bartson, Ronald J. Principles of Economics. Pearson, 2002 The Federal Reserve Board. http://www.federalreserve.gov The Federal Reserve System Online. http://www.federalreserveonline.org

No Witchcraft for Sale

Gina M. Dees English IV- Honors Mrs. Daly 11/11/12 Culture at its Best â€Å"Piccanin,† shouted Teddy, â€Å"get out of my way! † And he raced in circles around the black child until he was frightened, and fled back to the bush. † This scene from Doris Lessings â€Å"No Witchcraft for Sale† depicts a child being affected by the results of apartheid, a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race, in South Africa. Similar to segregation in America, apartheid separated the blacks and white into two different classes; the blacks being of lower class and whites having high rank in society.Gideon, a cook in Doris Lessing’s short story and the main character, served the Farquar family all of his life. Even though this separation deemed whites as superior, this separation occurred because of cultural differences. As the story begins the audience is introduced to the Farquar’s family who has just brought their first child, Tedd y, into the world. This family, the bosses or the masters lived on a compound and represent the oppressors. This family has a cook servant named Gideon who represents the oppressed.Gideon and the Farquar’s young child Teddy have a strong bond from the beginning. Gideon acted as a father in many ways to the Farquar’s child. Their bond was so extraordinary in this story that is set in a time in South Africa when blacks were treated inferior to whites. Though it was evident Gideon and Teddy’s relationship was real it did not prevent the elements of what racism teaches. Little time was spent by Gideon caring for his family or even being there for his son. Gideon played tirelessly with Teddy catching him when he fell as he learned to walk and tossing him up in the air.Gideon’s son could only watch from the edge of the bush and gaze in awe of the young white boy his same age. Each had a curiosity for the other. Teddy once put out his hand in curiosity to touch the face and hair of a black boy. Gideon’s bond is ironic because whites treated the black natives as if they were so much less than they were, yet the very person coaching a white child to lean to walk was a black man who earned the admiration of his superior and increases in his wages over other workers on the compound.When Gideon says to Mrs. Farquar â€Å"Ah missus, these are both children, and one will grow up to be a baas, and one will be a servant† he accepts the fact that no matter how much love he has for the boy that Teddy will conform to the nasty ways of society. Gideon also gave the child his nickname â€Å"Little Yellow Head†. This nickname shows that Gideon had a level of love and adoration for the young white child. Although this relationship with the child was evident, is it possible Gideon showed the child so much affection to avoid punishment?Gideon even realized that the child he had once held and nurtured would grow up to conform to society. This became evident on the day Teddy used his scooter to frighten Gideon’s son and when reprimanded about the mean act gave the defiant response, â€Å"He is only a black boy. † This showed indifference to Gideon’s son as a person by regarding his act equal to what had been done to scatter squawking chickens and irritated dogs. One afternoon as Teddy was walking exploring the outdoors, a snake spit poisonous venom into his eye.Everyone in the home knew that he could potentially go blind. The child writhed in agony as his mother tried her best to assist her son but she knew not of a cure. When she called for Gideon he sprung into action and ran off into the bush for some herbal medicine that was common among the other African natives to handle being poisoned. When he returned he held in his hand a root. Gideon chewed the root, spit its juices into the eyes of the boy without hesitation even with his mother crying out in protest and pressed it into the child†™s eyes guaranteeing he would be cured.As the reader, I could not help but to feel a certain amount of respect and love towards Gideon, as the Farquar’s did because of his rapid response to help the afflicted child. This quick response was borne out of love for Teddy. Not only were there elements of Gideon and Teddy’s relationship, but certain cultural differences kept the baas’ and natives separate. The natives lived off of ways of the land and kept secrets of remedies to each other. I believe they kept the remedies a secret in order to preserve their culture and practices.The text reads â€Å"No one can live in Africa or at least on the veld, without learning very soon that there is an ancient wisdom of leaf and soil and season-and, too, perhaps most important of all, of the darker tracts of the human mind-which is the black mans heritage. Up and down the district people were telling anecdotes, reminding each other of things that had happened to them. † In contrast the whites believed in medical advances and were skeptical about the accuracy of some of the natives â€Å"bush medicines†.When the scientist states â€Å"We are always checking up on this kind of story, and we draw a blank every time† it proves his disbelief of the African remedies and that he does not trust that they will work. Also the scientist and The Farquar’s try to persuade Gideon to disclose the root by assuring him that the information will be used for the common good. This is a cultural clash because the whites are trying to advance their modern medicine as Gideon is trying to save his cultural practices. Gideon would not let the sacred root of the African witch doctors benefit humanity for a cost.The friendship between Gideon and The Farquar’s is affected by his defiance. They begin to look at him with disdain and annoyance and Gideon displayed hostility, stubbornness and made contradictory statements about the location of the r oot. This cultural clash could also be connected to the power struggles displayed throughout the short story. The scientist and Farquar’s wanted power over Gideon so he would tell the truth about the root, but Gideon maintained control by leading everyone into the bush on a wild goose chase.The text reads â€Å"He (Gideon) picked up, without an attempt at looking anything but casual, a handful of blue flowers that had been growing plentifully all down the path they had come. † Gideon is mocking the scientist and Farquar’s will and intelligence as he had them walk 6 miles in the bush to search for this root when all he did was pick up a measly flower that had been growing down the whole path. He showed them and the readers that he was not afraid to protect his cultural practices.

Civilizations of the Americas

The Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas were three of the most advanced civilization in the Americas. They each brought major accomplishments to the world during their period of reign and some of these accomplishments are still used to this very day. Each one of these civilizations were influenced by foreign countries including: Europe, Asia, and parts of the Middle East. Some of these accomplishments included agriculture, architecture, writing, and trade. These accomplishments led each of these civilizations into being the most advanced in the world during their time of rule. The Mayans were the first civilization of the three and reached its greatest height between 250 and 900 CE. The Mayan civilization was located in the areas known today as Guatemala, Belize, Chiapas, and the Yucaton Peninsula, which had rich and fertile soil. Being the first civilization didn’t hold back the Mayans from being advanced in architecture, math, astrology, and writing. In the Mayan civilization, there was one major city called Tikal. Tikal was located in Guatemala and became a major Mayan center. The Mayan pyramid in Tikal was the tallest pyramid until the twentieth century (Document 1). This structure showed that the Mayans were advanced in architecture without several different inventions that were used in future societies including the wheel. The Mayans used characters or symbols as a writing system. They used glyphs (symbols) to write necessary things down on stelae. Each glyph either represented a sound or a word. Glyphs were put together to make sentences or represent the Mayan calendar (Document 2). The Mayans used a 364-day solar calendar with 18 months and 20 days in each month. These accomplishments prove that the Mayan civilization was one of the most advanced in the Americas.

Spiritual Teachers

Great Spiritual Masters and Teachers Written by Devon Love Sections on Babaji, How To Pick   Or Not Pick) A Spiritual Teacher, and Conclusion written by Christine Breese, D. D. Ph. D. Introduction Throughout time, many spiritual masters have offered teachings in service to humanity. Many who have been inclined toward self realization have, through a wide variety of different paths, reached this goal and gone on   to teach others. This process remains a mystery to and yet many people at some point in their lives begin to question who they are and seek out teachings to help them answer this question.There  are  multitudes  of   different  ways  that  spiritual  information  is  passed  on  and  shared  with  others. In  this  course  we  will  explore  the   many  different  categories  of  spiritual  masters  and  teachers  throughout  recorded  history. Review Of Literature (Exam  questions  are  not  drawn  from  the  Review  Of  Literature  section. )   Tao  Te  Ching  (1963)  translated  by  D. C. Lau  from  Lao  Tsu’s  original  words  is  a  translation  of  the  Chinese   classic. The   Tao   Te   Ching   rings   clearly   through   the   ages   as   a   Great   Pearl   of   timeless   Wisdom. All   serious   metaphysicians   should   study   this   work,   and   meditate   on   its   teachings.Like   all   great   spiritual   texts,   the   Tao   Te   Ching,  when  deeply  contemplated,  reveals  the  true  nature  of  the  universe. Peace   Is   Every   Step:   The   Path   Of   Mindfulness   In   Everyday   Life   (1991)   by   Thich   Nhat   Hahn   is   a   wonderful   book. Thich  Nhat  Hahn  is  a  Zen  Buddhist  monk  whose  teachings  come  straight  from  the  hear t. Those  who  have   discovered   his   work   have   likely   been   transformed   by   it. His   words   are   filled   with   compassion,   humility,   and   purity. In  Peace  Is  Every  Step,  Te  (teacher)  as  his  students  refer  to  him,  teaches  of  awakening  to  the  joy  of  now,  the   loving  presence  of  life.He  speaks  of  finding  joy  and  peace  wherever  one  is,  in  looking  at  flowers,  at  the  blue  sky, or  into  the  eyes  of  a  child. Thich  Nhat  Hahn’s  teachings  apply  to  everyone,  and  this  simple  book  is  an  excellent   introduction  to  his  work. The   Miracle   Of   Mindfulnes   (1975)   by   Thich   Nhat   Hahn   is   another   beautiful   gem   arising   from   the   consciousness   of   Te,   this   is   a   Zen   masterpiece,   reminding   us   in   simple,   economical,   and   flowing   words   of   the   wisdom  of  being  present  to  life. Using  anecdotes  from  his  life,  Te  tells  us  to  wake  up  and  consciously  experience   each  moment  as  the  precious  gift  that  it  is.From  washing  dishes  to  drinking  a  cup  of  tea,  he  encourages  us  to  be   fully   present,   awake,   and   aware,   to   be   fully   in   our   bodies,   and   experiencing   the   actual   physical   sensations   of   breathing  and  movement  in  these  acts,  this  being  the  key  to  fully  realizing  ourselves. The  Heart  Of  Buddha? s  Teachings:Transforming,  Suffering  Into  Peace,  Joy,  And  Liberation  (1998),  by  Thich  Naht   Hahn,   presents   the   teachings   of   Buddhaà ‚   in   a   simple   and   lovely   way. His   understanding   and   interpretation   of   these  teachings  is  flawless.He  speaks  of  his  own  relationship  with  suffering,  and  how  he  merged  with  Buddha   through  this. He  goes  to  the  heart  of  Buddha’s  teachings  on  suffering  and  non? suffering,  misery  and  happiness,   and   how   these   each   exist   only   with   the   presence   of   the   other. From   chapter   1:   Buddha   was   not   a   god. He   was   a   human  being  like  you  and  me,  and  he  suffered  just  as  we  do. If  we  go  to  the  Buddha  with  our  hearts  open,  he  will  look  at  us,   his   eyes   filled   with   compassion,   and   say,   â€Å"Because   there   is   suffering   in   your   heart,   it   isà ‚   possible   for   you   to   enter   my   heart. †¦If   you   have   experienced   hunger,   you   know   that   having   food   is   a   miracle. If  you  have  suffered  from  the  cold,  you   know   the   preciousness   of   warmth. When   you   have   suffered,   you   know   how   to   appreciate   the   elements   of   paradise   that  are   present. If  you  dwell  only  in  your  suffering,  you  will  miss  paradise. Don? t  ignore  your  suffering,  but  don? t  forget  to  enjoy   the  wonders  of  life,  for  your  sake  and  for  the  benefit  of  many  beings. The  Art  Of  Happiness:  A  Handbook  For  Living  (1998)  by  His  Holiness  the  Dalai Lama  with  Howard  C. Cutler   M. D. s   a   collaboration   between   H. H. the   Dalai   Lama,   the   spiritu al   leader   of   Tibet,   and   Dr. Cutler,   a   psychiatrist. These  two  people  broke  the  barriers  between  spirituality  and  psychology  in  order  to  help  people  realize  happiness. The  perspective  in  the  book  alternates  between  the  understanding  of  a  Western  psychiatrist,  and  the  understanding   of  a  Tibetan  spiritual  leader,  through  a  conversation  in  which  each  attempts  to  understand  the  other. The  outcome  is   a  rich  dialogue  of  great  importance,  which  explores  questions  such  as†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Is  happiness  truly  possible?   and†¦Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"How   is  it  that  we  find  happiness? †Ã‚  If  you  are  seeking  happiness,  this  book  is  recommended. Ethics  For  The  New  Millennium  (1999)  by  His  Holiness  The  Dalai  Lam a  is  a  book  dedicated  toward  the  task   of  right  living. An  excerpt  from  chapter  1  reads  as  follows:  We  have,  in  my  view,  created  a  society  in  which  people  find   it  harder  and  harder  to  show  one  another  basic  affection. In  place  of  the  sense  of  community  and  belonging,  which  we  find   Great  Spiritual  Masters  &  Teachers  Ã‚ ©2005  University  Of  Metaphysical  Sciences   1 uch  a  reassuring  feature  of  less  wealthy  (and  generally  rural)  societies,  we  find  a  high  a  degree  of  loneliness  and  alienation. Despite  the  fact  that  millions  live  in  close  proximity  to  one  another,  it  seems  that  many  people,  especially  among  the  old,  have   no  one  to  talk  to  but  their  pets. Modern  industrial  society  often  strikes  me  as  being  like  a  huge  self? propelled  machine. Instead   of  human  beings  in  charge,  each  individual  is  a  tiny,  insignificant  component  with  no  choice  but  to  move  when  the  machine   moves. Around  this  observation,  H.H. the  Dalai  Lama  offers  a  cure  for  what  ails  us. This  is  an  excellent  book,  and   a  great  follow? up  to  The  Art  Of  Happiness. Rumi  as  translated  by  Coleman  Barks  in  The  Essential  Rumi  (2001)  is  an  exquisite  translation  to  read. Here we  find  the  poetry  of  Rumi,  and  if  you  have  not  experienced  his  work,  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  drink  from  the   fountain:  Ã‚   The  Many  Wines   God  has  given  us  a  dark  wine  so  potent  t hat,  drinking  it,  we  leave  the  two  worlds. God  has  put  into  the  form  of  hashish  a  power  to  deliver  the  taster  from  self? consciousness.God  has  made  sleep  so  that  it  erases  every  thought. God  made  Manjun  love  Layla  so  much  that  just  her  dog  would  cause  confusion  in  him. There  are  thousands  of  wines  that  can  take  over  our  minds. Don? t  think  all  ecstasies  are  the  same! Jesus  was  lost  in  his  love  for  God. His  donkey  was  drunk  with  barley. Drink  from  the  presence  of  saints,  not  from  those  other  jars. Every  object,  every  being,  is  a  jar  full  of  joy? from  The  Essential  Rumi   Guru  For  The  Aquarian  Age:  The  Life  And  Teachings  Of  Guru  Nanak  (1996)  by  Steve  Gilba r  and  Partnatma   Singh   talks   about   a   particular   guru   named   Nanak.From   the   introduction   by   Yogi   Bajan:   Guru   Nanak   served   humanity  by  openly  teaching  this  technique  of  awareness  in  order  to  bring  men  out  from  the  pit  of  hell  into  which  they  had   been  dragged  by  the  blind,  ritualistic,  self? centered,  spiritual  egoists  of  that  dark  age. He  gave  men  freedom  of  the  spirit  and   took  away  the  domination  of  these  Ã¢â‚¬Å"middlemen. †Ã‚  Humanity  had  committed  the  error  time  and  time  again  of  worshiping  the   man   rather   than   the   truth   he   represents. Guru   Nanak   taught   that   it   is   God   who   prevails   through   demand   and   the   man? owever   great   he   may   be? is   only   the   channel,   the   instrument   for   the   flow   of   Divine   Wisdom. Men   are   meant   to   praise   God,   and   to   teach   others   to   do   so,   not   to   become   objects   of   worship   themselves. Thus,   Guru   Nanak   reestablished   righteousness  and  the  path  to  glory  in  his  own  time. He  made  mankind  understand  the  basic  law  of  life:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nanak  nam  Chardi   kala,  tere  bhane  sarbat  ka  bhala,†Ã‚  keep  up  and  wish  good  to  all. Isis  Unveiled:  Secrets  Of  The  Ancient  Wisdom  Traditions,  Madame  Blavatsky? s  First  Work,  A  New  Abridgment   For   Today   (1997)   by   Helena   P.Blavatsky,   abridged   by   Michael   Gomes   is   a   classic. Helena   Blavatsky   was   a   spiritual  adventurer  and  metaphys ician  who  founded  the  Theosophical  Society,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A  world  organization  dedicated  to   fellowship   among   all   peoples   and   encouragement   of   the   study   of   religion,   philosophy,   and   science. † In   this   voluminous   book,  Blavatsky  endeavors  to  reveal  the  truth  underlying  the  ancient  mystery  teachings  found  in  many  cultures. Though   the   original   is   difficult   to   read,   the   abridged   edition   is   much   more   accessible.If   one   is   serious   about   metaphysics,  theosophy,  Egyptology,  and  mystery  school  teachings,  this  is  a  must  read. Hildegard   Von   Bingen’s   Mystical   Visions:   Translated   From   Scivias   (1995)   translated   by   Bruce   Hozeski   is   all   about  Hildegard  Von  Bingen,  an  eleventh  century  mystical  visionary  who  had  begun  to  have  visions  and  speak   prophecy   by   the   age   of   15. She   was   a   writer   and   an   accomplished   musician,   and   everything   she   wrote   and   composed  seemed  divinely  inspired.This  book  is  a  translation  from  her  work  entitled  Scivias,  which  means  Know   The   Path. It   is   a   collection   of   her   visions   and   the   prophecy   brought   forth   in   them. There   are   26   visions,   and   Hozeski  breaks  each  one  up  into  sections  and  discusses  and  interprets  the  rich  symbolism  contained  within. This   is  a  profound  look  into  the  visions  of  a  great  mystic. In   Tales   of   Hasidim:   Book   One,   The   Early   Masters   (1991)   by   Martin   Buber,   tra nslated   by   Olga   Marx,   the   author   tells   the   stories   of   the   early   leaders   of   this   religion.The   brilliant   Jewish   philosopher   and   scholar/practitioner   of   the   Hasidic   faith,   comments   on   the   philosophy   of   Hasidic   Judaism. His   writing   on   The   Baal   Shem   Tov   were   used   in   the   research   for   this   course. Martin   Buber? s   body   of   work   has   been   profoundly   influential  in  its  focus  on  the  value  of  human  relationships  and  conscious  interaction  with  life. His  philosophical   views  are  beautifully  expressed  in  the  now  classic  I  And  Thou  (1970). If  you  are  interested  in  learning  more  about   Hasidism  or  human  relationships,  these  works  are  invaluable  to  your  studies. Why   The   Baal   Shem   Tov  Laughed:  52  Stories  About  Our  Great  Chasidic  Rabbis  (1993)  by  Sterna  Citron  is  an   informative  piece  of  literature  on  Hasidic  Judaism. From  the  back  cover:  In  the  year  5487,  a  brilliant  source  of  light illuminated  the  dark  skies  of  European  Jewry. Yisroel  Baal  Shem  Tov  breathed  life  and  joy  into  a  population  oppressed  by  a   Great  Spiritual  Masters  &  Teachers  Ã‚ ©2005  University  Of  Metaphysical  Sciences   2 hostile  environment  and  depressed  by  disillusionment†¦Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"These  Hasidic  stories  are  not  only  heartwarming  and  encouraging   but  also  a  source  of  our  own  character  building.While  reaching  the  goals  of  the  saintly  individuals  may  be  unrealistic,  the   principles   they   established   and   manifested   in   their   lives   should   serve   as   guidelines   for   us. Even   the   fact   that   we   cannot   achieve  their  greatness  should  not  deter  us  from  at  least  trying  to  emulate  them. †? from  Dr. Abraham  J. Twerski   A  Simple  Path  (1995)  by  Mother  Theresa  and  compiled  by  Lucinda  Vardey  chronicles  the  works  of  Mother   Theresa,  her  unfailing  dedication  to  serving  those  in  need,  and  the  formation  of  her  powerful  and  compassionate   organization,   The   Missionaries   Of   Charity.The   story   of   Mother   Theresa   and   her   works   is   an   inspiration   to   all. This  is  highly  recommended  reading. From  the  back  cover:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There  is  something  else  to  remember? that  this  kind  of   love  begins  at  home. We  cannot  give  to  the  outside  what  we  don? t  have  on  the  inside. This  is  very  important. If  I  can’t  see   God? s   love   in   my   brother   and   sister   then   how   can   I   see   that   love   in   somebody   else? How   can   I   give   it   to   somebody   else? Everybody  has  got  some  good. Some  hide  it,  some  neglect  it,  but  it  is  there.   ? Mother  Theresa  Ã‚   The   Philosophy   Of   Freedom:   The   Basis   For   A   Modern   World   Conception   (1916)   was   translated   by   Michael   Wilson   and   is   an   early   work   of   philosophy   by   Rudolph   Steiner. Steiner   was   a   19th? century   philosopher,   spiritualist   and   clairvoyant   who   created   a   spiritual? p hilosophical   cosmology   that   he   called   anthroposophy. He   was   a   student   of   mystery   teachings,   and   was   involved   for   years   with   the   Theosophical   society,   as   well   as   the   Rosicrucians.The   Philosophy   Of   Freedom   was   his   defining   work   outlining   his   cosmological   view. From   the   back cover:  Are  we  free,  whether  we  know  it  or  not? Or  is  our  sense  of  freedom  merely  an  illusion? Rudolph  Steiner  tackles  this   age? old  problem  in  a  new  way. He  says  that  by  taking  account  of  our  own  activity  of  thinking,  we  can  know  the  reasons  for   our  actions. And  if  these  reasons  are  taken  from  our  world  of  the  ideals,  then  our  actions  are  free,  because  we  alone  determine   them. But   this   freedom   cannot   be   settled   for   us   by   philosophical   argument.It   is   not   simply   granted   to   us. If   we   want   to   become  free,  we  have  to  strive  by  our  own  inner  activity  to  overcome  our  unconscious  urges  and  habits  of  thought. In  order   to  do  this  we  must  reach  a  point  of  view  that  recognizes  no  limits  to  knowledge,  sees  through  all  illusions,  and  opens  the  door   to  an  experience  of  the  reality  of  the  spiritual  world. Then  we  can  achieve  the  highest  level  of  evolution. We  can  recognize   ourselves  as  free  spirit. ?Michael  Wilson  Ã‚   Gurdjieff:  The  Key  Concepts  (2003)  by  Sophia  Wellbeloved  is  a  thorough  investigation  of  Gurdjieff’s  legacy   of  work.From  the  back  cover:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sophia  Wellbeloved  has  provided  here  a  tool  for  delving  beneath  Gurdjieff’s  veil  of  words,   for  both  a  specialized  and  general  public†¦Ã‚  this  is  a  work  that  honors  Gurdjieff’s  gift  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  welfare  of   mankind. †Ã‚  ? Paul  Beekman  Taylor. â€Å"This  unique  book  offers  clear  definitions  of  Gurdjieff’s  teaching  terms,  placing  him   within  the  political,  geographical,  and  cultural  context  of  his  time. Selected  entries  look  at  diverse  aspects  of  his  work. †Ã‚   Teachings   Of   The   Hindu   Mystic   (2001)   by   Andrew   Harvey   is   a   compilation   of   writings   from   the   Hindu   mystical   tradition.Andrew   Harvey   is   a   wo rld? renowned   author,   lecturer,   and   teacher   of   the   world? s   spiritual   traditions. He  has  spent  many  years  studying  Hinduism,  Buddhism  and  Christianity. Included  are  works  from   the  Bhagavad? Gita,  the  Upanishads,  teachings  from  Ramakrishna  and  Ramana  Maharishi,  as  well  as  devotional   poetry   from   Mirabai,   Ramprasad,   and   others. This   is   a   great   introduction   to   Hindu   mystic   teachings,   with   its   beautiful  way  of  expression  through  lyrical  verse. Brother   Francis:   An   Anthology   Of   Writings   By   And   About   St. Francis   Of